Empire meets royalty as Kane leads Bayern into a larger-than-life Madrid battle
European giants Real Madrid and Bayern Munich meet for the 29th time tonight – a rivalry as grand as it is peculiar. Between them, they’ve lifted the European crown 21 times, yet have never faced each other in a Champions League final.As Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently put it, this truly feels like a “final before the final.” History agrees – these two titans have consistently crossed paths before the final hurdle, never on the biggest stage itself.##NAJAVA_MECA_9658385##Ahead of the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the margins are razor-thin. Los Blancos edge the head-to-head with 13 wins to Bayern’s 11, alongside four draws, and a slight advantage in goals. More often than not, these clashes are decided by moments – and this one promises no different.Recent history favours Madrid. Real are unbeaten in their last 9 meetings with the Bavarians, with Bayern’s last victory dating back to 2012. Their most recent showdown, in the 2023/24 semi-finals, ended in heartbreak for the G..